Veteran Lu Charges to Victory
Former golfing powerhouse Lu Chien-soon beat Antonio Lascuna on the second extra hole to win the Mercedes-Benz Masters Malaysia today to make amends for losing in a play-off last weekend.
Lu splashed out from sand to a foot on the par-five 18th to make a birdie four at Saujana Golf and Country Club against Lascuna’s par. The 50 year old Taiwanese golfer should have won on the first play-off hole but missed a four foot downhill putt.
The victory is the continuation of a remarkable comeback by Lu who only started playing again this year after an eight year lay-off caused by back problems.
Lu, who nursed his back with herbal medicine and wine, has won twice this year in Taiwan and lost on the fourth play-off hole last week against Singapore’s Lam Chih Bing in the Salcon Negri Masters also in Malaysia.
“I really felt I was going to win this tournament during the third round. I felt very confident even in the play-off. I am really happy,” said Lu.
It was a brave performance by Lu who held a one shot lead at the start of the day but slipped back with bogeys on two, four and five. He was two strokes behind Lascuna at the turn but rallied with birdies on 13, 17 and 18. Playing partner Lascuna also birdied the last.
“I started playing again so that I can try and make it through the Champions Tour Qualifying School at the end of the year. I have made a lot of swings changes for this and they have really been working well,” added Lu, who claimed a cheque for US$9,750.
Lu is one of the most successful Asian golfers of all time having won eight national Opens. He won the Asian Tour Order of Merit title in 1983 and 1989 and has triumphed in the national Opens of Singapore and Taiwan twice. He also won the Indian, Indonesian, Malaysian and Thailand Opens. He closed with a final round of one-under-par 71 for a four-round aggregate of 11-under-par 277.
Lascuna came in with a 69 for his second runner-up finish of the year on the Mercedes-Benz Tour. He was also second in the Singha Pattaya Open. The Filipino was the halfway leader in this event last year and is still looking for his first win on the circuit.
Lam (69), and Filipinos Mars Pucay (71) and Marvin Dumandan (67) finished in a tie for third. They were two shots shy of the play-off. Shaifubari Muda (68) and S. Siva Chandran (71) finished as the leading Malaysians in joint sixth place five strokes behind the winner.
Leading final round scores:
Par 72
277 – Lu Chien-soon (TWN) 68-68-70-71, Antonio Lascuna (PHI) 72-66-70-69 (Lu won in sudden-death play-off on second extra hole)
279 - Lam Chih Bing (SIN) 71-71-68-69, Mars Pucay (PHI) 68-70-70-71, Marvin Dumandan (PHI) 68-72-67
282 - Shaifubari Muda (MAS) 67-68-79-68, S. Siva Chandran (MAS) 67-73-71-71
284 - Anis Helmi Hassan (MAS) 70-72-73-69, Udorn Duangdecha (THA) 72-71-72- 69, Danny Chia (MAS) 74-71-69-70, Andik Mauluddin (INA) 73-68-71-72, Arie Fauzi (am) (MAS) 73-67-71-73
285 - Jay Bayron (PHI) 76-68-71-70
286 - Chawinroj Krobteeranon (THA) 71-70-76-69, Panuwat Muenlek (THA) 72-71-74-69, Steven Tan (MAS) 69-70-74-73, Iain Steel (MAS) 70-72-69-75
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